Director: Christopher Nolan

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Marion Cotillard

Popcorns: 4/5

 

 It’s not surprising that when allotted a bottomless budget and complete creative control, director Christopher Nolan would fashion a film so dense it looks to be studied and debated for decades to come. Nolan’s sixth feature, ‘Inception’, displays the director’s boundless imagination in what may one day be known as his magnum opus. In a world of dreams within dreams within dreams Noland leaves an artistic signature bolder than any other commercial filmmaker could hope to achieve. But, like many ambitious works, ‘Inception’ is not exempt from a few glaring flaws.

Enigmatic con man Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is an expert at immersing himself in the dreams of others to steal valuable information, often for corporations who want the their competitors’ secrets. Known as an ‘extractor,’ Cobb works with Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a ‘point man’ who sets up the heist, and Nash (Lukas Haas), an ‘architect’ who crafts the environment of the dream. When a wealthy businessman recognizes Cobb’s talent, he hires him not to steal, but to plant an idea in the mind of a corporate rival. This technique is known as ‘inception.’

Assembling the perfect team, Cobb recruits the budding architect, Ariadne (Ellen Page) and ‘forger’ Eames (Tom Hardy), a man who can alter his identity within a dream. Together they embark on a dangerous journey to implant an emotional suggestion inside the mind of their employer’s rival, Robert Fischer, Jr. (Cillian Murphy). In order to influence Fischer’s subconscious, they must create multiple dream worlds they can navigate simultaneously. Yet with each level of dream Cobb’s team makes, they are brought closer to a state of dream ‘limbo,’ where they could potentially be stuck forever.

As the team inches closer to completing their mission, Cobb’s deceased wife, Mal (Marion Cotillard), continually shows up and attempts to kill the men whose dream Cobb is invading. Mal is positioned as Cobb’s greatest obstacle, as she may hold the key to a grander secret concerning his reality.

‘Inception’ resembles David Lynch’s ‘Mulholland Dr.’ (2001) with its bold exploration and depiction of the subconscious, and is somewhat indebted to past sci-fi greats, like ‘The Matrix’ (1999). It is, however, an entirely original work.

As far as giant studio features are concerned, ‘Inception’ is peerless in its complexity. Not only does Nolan effectively blur the line between reality and dreams, but he obscures the line between dreams and other dreams. The shifting ages and identities of the principal characters become difficult to track, as Nolan’s multiple plot lines run concurrently and complement one another nicely.

Whether it is to the frustration or enjoyment of the audience, ‘Inception’ never lets its audience gain a firm grasp on the overarching narrative. The action is stunning, blending the gravity-free grace of choreographer Yuen Woo-ping (‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’) with the thunderous force of director Michael Mann (‘Public Enemies’), creating an atmosphere that is as alluring as it is terrifying.

In keeping with the nature of unfathomably ambitious epics, the picture is wounded by the scope of its premise and ideals. The seemingly endless list of rules governing extraction and inception ultimately becomes overwhelming, forcing characters to spend much of their time clarifying every situation they are placed in. Instead of employing the acting talents of his cast, Nolan makes them little more than talking instruction manuals. Cobb and Mal are the only remotely dynamic characters in the film, and aside from their ideals concerning their relationship, neither are particularly deep.

The final act, one of the longest, most complex action sequences ever devised, is undeniably riveting, though it ensures that the audience never truly connects with the characters. Every scene in the film is either an action sequence or a prolonged explanation of a technique that Nolan made up for the movie.

‘Inception’ is indeed imperfect, as should be expected. But had Nolan opted to settle and make a traditional sci-fi thrill ride, he would have betrayed his talents. Nolan did not produce an infallible masterwork, but succeeded in demonstrating that artistry still exists in mainstream cinema, and assured audiences that so long as he is working, an artist’s imagination will have a place in the multiplexes.

smlittman@syr.edu

Published on July 16, 2010 at 12:00 pm